Signal device for automobiles



April 29, 1924.-

S. G. RICHARDS SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Feb. 27. 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 1 I -f*wanfar April 29, 1924.

' 1,492,047 5. G. RICHARDS v SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Fil ed Feb.27. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 29, 1924.

P A T E'NT O FF I C E SAMUELIG. RICHARDS, or DES MOINES, IOWA.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed February 27,1923. Serial "No. 621;564.

Toal whomz't may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL Gr. 'RICHARDS,

an citizen of the United'States, and a resident iof Des Moines, in thecounty of Polk,

State of lowafhave inventeda certain new and usefulSignal Device" forAutomobiles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a signaling deviiceforautomobiles and the lilie of simple, durable and inexpensiveconstruction soarranged that when the automobile clutch is releasedpreparatory to "stopping-the automobile, the signal device will beautomatically moved to position for displayingthe word Stop, and whenthe operator of the automobile desires to turn either to the right orleft, he may readily, quickly and easily manipulate a lever "to causethe signal'to show an indicating device showing an arrow or other deviceindicating the directionin which the operator intends to turn,

Afiturther object is to-provide a device of this kind inwhich, in theevent the operator should set the signal, for instance'in a directionindicating that heisgoingto turn to the right, then after turning,should forget to releasethe signal so that it would show a red lightonly, then the signal would be automatically returned to normal positionas soon as' the "operator again threw in the clutchof the automobileafter turning the corn'er. i I

Morespecifically it is one of my objects to provide a device of thiskindof smalland compact form in which only one'electriclightneed'beinstalled for'use'as alight for illuminating the ordinaryred" taillight reziired by law 1 and I also for illuminating all oftheother indicating devices, such for instance-as stop, right andle'ft,or the like; and also to' provide 'a'simple and inexpem sivestructure comprising a stationary casnig' havinglonly a single signalopening therein, and a rotary cylindrical signaling member in" which theelectric light is mounted, and which can loe rotated so that any one ofthe various signals will "be displayed through the signal openingof thestationary (easing; and y Further in this" connection to provideimproved "and sim'plified 'means' ffor normally returning and"yieldingly holding the rotary signal l device in position for"displayingan ordinal wed taillight.

"casing; and

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationofthevar'iou's partsof-t-he device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained, as hereinafter more fully "-set'forth, pointed out in myclaims, antlillustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Figurelshows a detail, perspective view illustrating a portion of anautomobile frame and dash board havingmy improved device applied theretoto illustrate a modified form of the connections between the automobileclutch and the signal device, and also between the hand operated leverand the signal device.

Figure 2 shows a transverse, sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 3.The dot tedlines in this figure show the hinged portion of therotarysignalmember in an open, position to provide access to the lamp.

Figure 8 showsa vertical, sectional View of the signal casing as viewedfromtheirear', with a portion of the rotarysignal member broken away toshow the lamp.-

Figure 4; shows a detail, sectional View on theline ea-of Figure 3.

Figure o shows a rear face view of the hand operated lever device asapplied to the automobile dash. 4

Figure 6 shows a sectional view of same on'the line 66 of'Figure 5. V

Figure 7 illustrates diagrammatically the arrangement ofthe'varioussignaling signs orjwords on the rotary cylindrical signaling member.- 7

Figure 8 shows a side elevation of a part of an automobile frame, and avertical sectional view of a partof an automobile dash;

and also a portion of the automobile clutch,

and illustrating my improved device for manually setting andautomatically releasing the rotary signal device.

Figure 9 shows a rear elevation of the mechanism for automaticallysetting'the signaling device in certain positions, and manuallysettinggit in other positions and auto matically releasing it.

Figure 10 "shows a perspective front view of same with the 'mechanismenclosedin a Figure 11 shows an enlarged, detail, sectional view'on theline 11j11 of 'Figuref9.

Referring to theaccompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral20' to in dicate that portion oftheautomobile frame. 7

shown and 21 to indicate the shaft of the automobile clutch. V

Mounted on said shaft is a cl'u-tch lever 22 of ordinary construction.The portion of the automobile dash shown is indicated by the referencenumeral'23.

My improved signal device comprises a stationary casing, preferablyrectangular in shape and made of sheet metal and indi cated by thenumeral 24, and it is intended to be supported on brackets 25 ofordinary construction. Its rear end26 is preferably made detachable, asshown in Flgure 2, and is provided withan oblong opening, asindicated inFigure 1. l 'Vithin this casing there is a cylindrical rotary signalingmember comprising two ends 27 and 28, and a cylindrical sheet metal bodyportion 29. The latter is preferably provided atone side with ahingedportion .30 provided at its frce cnd with a spring latch device31, by which it is normally held closed.

The two ends of the signaling member are rotatably mounted .on suitable"bearings 32 at one end, and a hollow bearing 33 at the other end, and onthe interior of the end, 28 adjacent to the hollow bearing is anordinary electric lamp socket 34 intowhich an electric light bulb 35 isplaced. The wires for the'electric light are indicated by the numeral 36and extend through thehollow bearing to thelamp socket. The con- 1struction ofthe casing and cylindrical rotary signal memberis verysimple, small 1n SlZe' and inexpensive in construction.

Formed in the surface of'the cylindrical signal member is. a series ofindicating marks or words, their arrangement being illustrated in Figure7. The arrangement which I prefer and illustrate is that the first oneof these indicating marks is an oblong opening 37, the next the wordStop indi cated by the numeral 38, the next an arrow 39ypointing to theright, and the next an arrow 40 pointing to the left. I do not intend tobe understood'as limiting myself to the spe'ific form of indicatingsignals, as any 'otherindicating device or word may be used.

These indicating devices or words are preferably made'by cutting themout of the sheet metal cylinder 29, and applying to the inner surfaceover said out out portions, a sheet of transparent material 41, such forinstance as glass or celluloid. The transparent material 41 covering theopening 39 is preferably mad'e of', red color. butthe others may be ofany color desired.

For, the purpose of normally holding the.

cylindrical signaling member in, position with the signaling device 37displayed through the rear of the casing, I have provided a pulley42 .onthehollo-w bearing member 33, and attached to and wound upon thispulleya cable'43. The upper end.

of the cable is. attached to a lever 44, and connected to the oppositeendvof the lever is a contractile coil spring 45 to normally hold theend of the cable in its elevated position, and the partsare so arrangedthat when 'thecable is thus held in the position shown in Figure 4, thesignal 37 will show through the rear of the casing.

On the-cylindrical signal member is a stationary stop 46, and. onthevstationary casing is a stationary stop 47 the parts being soarranged that when the cylindrical signaling device has been rotated farenough to bring the arrow- 40 to position. adjacent to the opening inthe stationary casing, the stop 46 will engagethe stop 47 and preventfurther rotation of the cylindrical signaling device. j i

Mounted upon a suit-able portion of the dash 23 isa lever 48 fixed to ashaft 49, and adjacent to the lever is a stationary disk 50 preferablyhaving at its upper portion .the word Right, and the lower portion theword Left, as shown in Figure -5. The lever frictionally engages thedisk.

Mounted upon the shaft 49 is av pulley 51 upon which a cable 52 is linedand passed around. Thiscable 52, in the form of the invention shown inFigure 1, is extended rearwardlyand connected to thecablej43 so thatwhen the lever 48 is operated, the

cables 52 and 43 will also be actuated, 1 In the form of the inventionshown in Figure 1 there'is a cable;53 connected tovthe clutch lever 22andextended rearwardly and connected to the cable 52.

- -The 'pre'fe'rredform of myinvention for actuating the cable 43 andturningthe cylindrical signaling member comprises a suit-' able casing54 fixed to the front of thedash 23, as shown in Figure 8. "Within thiscas- IQO ing there is slidably mounted a metal bar 5'5 either of thenotches 56 and its other end normally extended substantially horizontally away from the bar 55. A spring 60 is arranged tonormally hold the,pawl in its position in engagement with the bar 55. I

Slidably mounted within thecasing 54 is a hooked bar- 61, its. upperend, being ca- I pable of a slight lateral movement and pro; vided with.a hook 62. Connected to its upper end is a spring 63 to normally holdthe hooked bar- 61 in its elevated position, as shown by dotted lines inFigure 9, and also to hold it laterally in-a direction toward the "ed'to" the lower end of said lever, 'andfannseam? adjacent ,end' the pawl{59; some ashes};

other cable I is attachedto i hamp r" or the said lever. Thisjc'able 6'6is also coir nectedto'a lever 67 fulcrumed iwithin ithe casing 54 andldesigned'to normall engage ithetpin '58 whenthe'baris .at its lowerlimit of movement. as'showniin Figure 9.

, In Figure 9 Ihave illustrated afdevi'c'e "by which the pa wl'59' maybe 'Hidnutillfileased. It comprises a vertically fmov able rod 68 havinga knob 69 atlit s'" ilipper'end "(and having itsfflower end resting uponthe pawl 59.] A spring normally returns it to "its elevated positionafter it has been depressed. I i i I In practicaloperation,andfassurningthat the signal device, is attached to an automobile andthe cliitch'pedal is. position. then the electric ligh I rotary signalmember will 1 shown fthrougvh the redilight signal 'device {37, gridthrough the rear of the casing, edeem; as an ordi- I narystail light. Ia

In theevent that the operator of the automobile desires to stop, heordinarly first opcrates the clutch lever, and when this is done thecable 66 is drawn downwardly, thus causing the lever 67 to engage thepin 58 and raise the bar 55 until the pawl 59 engages the secondshoulder 56 fromthe top ofsaid bar, whereupon the cable 43 will bepulled far enough to overcome the tension of the spring and rotate thecylindrical signal member a fourth of a revolution and there hold it.And when this is done, the word Stop appears through the opening at therear of the signal casing. At the same time the cable 66 is slackened bythe action of moving the clutch. brake forwardly, and

when this cable is slackened, the spring 63 will elevate the slide bar61 to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 9, there being enoughlateral movement permitted for the upper end of this bar 61 for thispurpose, and when in this position, the pawl 59 will be locked so thatthe cylindrical signal member will be held in said position withoutbeing subjected to the minor fluctuating movement that will ordinarilytake place when the clutch is partially released or depressed. When,however, the operator releases the clutch and it returns to normalposition, then the cable 64 is pulledrearwardly, thus tripping the pawl59. and releasing it from the shoulder on the bar 55, and at the sametime the tension on the cable 43 is released so thatthe spring 45 willpull the bar 55 downwardly to normal position where, the redlight-willagain show in the signal device.

n the everie-that the? o sraier aesnes to indicate? on 1th gnal" devicethatjhe intends to" turir to either the-right or left-,"then hemanipulatesthelever48 {moves it to posin-on adjacent f to the "word-Right or sneer on the disk VV hen "such mavement takesjplace, the cable42 isoperated' to raise the bar and consequently "pulls the cable43'to"apositionfwhich"-wi11rotate the signal member fso the des redjsignal ar1'ow"* corresponding to Wvord Right or DfWtWlll be" inposrtifon asbe seen thi'ough the rear of the caslng',

and l the samei'time-the pawl 59; "will "eng ge the corresponding one ofthe shoulders to hold saida-signalarrow{a ainst fluctuat ingino'vem'ent's that 'be' gauged "the manipulationof theiclutch"lever; i

the lever 67 that it will" not be touche d.

ling device it is not at all necessary for the operator to remember tomanually release or return the lever 48 to its normal position, becausesaid lever is not locked in position but simply held by friction againstthe plate 50, and the pull of the spring 45 is suflicient to returntherotary signal memher as well as the lever 48 to normal position.

The modified form illustratedin Figure 1 is somewhat simpler inoonstructon than the form of the device previously described, and itsoperation is as follows Ordinarily when turning "a \corner thefopeiatorwin release the Solutclf'lever; This, 'heweven=avi1r11ave no; set on thesignal devi e sesame thew-pie 58"will"be safer above 'Hoi'vever, afterthe cornerhas been turned, p andthe o erator xvii-oilyreleasesjth'eblutfch lever, itheii the cable *64 will be pandam the pawl 59! tripped,and the 'loar55 'per- "mated to return to *i-tsj'normal position; Hencebyme'ans df inyimproved control- I When the clutch lever is depressed,the rotary signal device will move to position with the word Stopappearing at the rear of the signal device, and when the clutch lever isreleased, the signal device will be automatically moved to show the redtail light. Upon approaching a turn, the operator may by hand move thelever 48 to position indicating right or left, and when this is done,the cable 52 will be pulled to bring the de sired indicating mark toposition for show ingthro-ugh the indicating device, and when this isdone, the cable 53 leading to the clutch will be slackened. Then afterthe turnhas been made, the operator can again manipulate the lever 48 tonormal position.

I claim as my invention:

1. A signal device for automobiles comprising a rotatable signal memberformed with a number of signal devices, spring actuated means forreturning it to normal position for exposing one of said signal devices,a cable operatively connected with said rotary signal member, for movingit from its normal position, said cable-being designed to be connectedto anautornohile,clutch such manner that when" the clutch isreleased,the

..rotatable signal member will bemoved to eitpose anotherof its signaldevices, a notched bar connected to said cable, a 'spring actuated; pawlto co-operate with .the, notched bar, nieans;for1movingthe notchedbar sothat any one of, ,v the signal vdevicesg nay: be moved to position to beviewed and held in saidfposition by said; spring actuated pawl, andmeans for releasing saidgpawl so that is returnedtonormal position. i ag 7 2. A: signal device' forautomobiles comprising. a rotatable;signahmembe'r formed 'with a number of signal ,devices,.=,springl-laotuated means for returning. it. to; normal position forexposing one of said signal devices,

vZ li a-cable 'operativel'y connectedwith said ro- :tarysignalmemberfor"moving it from its normal position; said cable being designed to beconnected to; an automobile clutch in such manner that when the clutchis released the rotatablesignal member will be'moved to expose anotherofits signal devices, a notched bar connected With said cable, a pinfixed to the notched. bar, a lever adjacent to p the notched bar anddesigned to engaget-he pm, a cable connected to said, lever and designedto beoperatively connected with an automobile Clutch lever, said partsbeing-so arranged that when the clutch. lever is moved to position forreleasing. the clutch the notched barf will be I110V6d"t0 position forshowing one of the 'signal devices other than the i normal signal on therotary signal member, a .Qableconnected to thenotched bar, meansfor-manually moving said cable to different positions togopera te therotary signal member to positions for exposing otherjsi gnal devices, ahooked-bar designed, when moved n one d rection, to engage said pawl,and when moved in the other d recton,

to release'said pawl from its position in engagement withithe notchedbar, a spring for normally moving the hooked bar to position forengaging the pawl, and a cable connected to-the-hooked barand designedto be-con- ,nected to; the clutch lever of an automobile .ifor,releasing the vpawl Ifrom engagement with the notched bar when theclutch lever is moved to normal position;

SAMUEL e. RICHARDS;

